Is metformin use associated with a reduced risk of oesophageal cancer? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: Studies on the association between metformin use and the risk of oesophageal cancer (OC) have generated controversial findings. This updated meta-analysis was conducted to reassess the effects of metformin on OC. METHODS: A comprehensive search strategy was conducted to select relevant studies from origination to February 2021. Heterogeneity was evaluated through the Q test and I2 statistics. HRs and 95% CIs were pooled through either random-effect or fixed-effect models. Meta-regression, subgroup analyses, sensitivity analysis and publication bias diagnosis were also performed. RESULTS: Seven studies with 5 426 343 subjects were included. Metformin use was associated with reduced risk of OC (HR=0.69, 95% CI 0.54 to 0.87, p<0.001). Sensitivity analysis suggested that the results were relatively stable. CONCLUSION: Metformin is associated with a reduced risk of OC. More well-designed studies are still needed to further elaborate on these associations. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42021237127.

Do proton pump inhibitors prevent Barrett's esophagus progression to high-grade dysplasia and esophageal adenocarcinoma? An updated meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: Previous research on the association between proton pump inhibitor (PPI) use and the risk of progression to high-grade dysplasia (HGD)/esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) in Barrett's Esophagus (BE) patients has generated inconsistent findings. This meta-analysis was performed to clarify the association. METHODS: We performed a comprehensive search strategy to select relevant studies up to September 2020. Heterogeneity was assessed using the I-squared statistic. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated through either fixed-effects or random-effects model. Duration-response was also performed to assess the gain effects of different PPI intake duration. Sensitivity analysis, subgroup analyses, and tests for publication bias or other small-study effects were conducted. RESULTS: Twelve studies with 155,769 subjects were included. The PPI use was associated with the reduced risk of BE progression to HGD/EAC (OR = 0.47, 95% CI = 0.32-0.71). In the duration-response analysis, the estimated OR for decreased risk of HGD/EAC with PPI intake duration of 12 months was 0.81 (95% CI = 0.71-0.91). Sensitivity analysis suggested the results of this meta-analysis were stable. No publication bias was detected. CONCLUSIONS: PPI use is associated with a decreased risk of HGD/EAC in patients with BE. For further investigation, that more well-designed studies are still needed to elucidate the protective effect of PPI usage on BE patients to prevent HGD/EAC.

Management of Incidental Pancreatic Cystic Lesions: Integrating Novel Diagnostic and Prognostic Factors With Current Clinical Guidelines.

Owing to increased detection rates, the diagnosis and management of incidental pancreatic cysts has become a common predicament. Up to 13% of patients undergoing cross-sectional imaging studies for other indications are found to have pancreatic cystic lesions. Although most cystic lesions are benign, the malignant potential of several types of pancreatic cysts makes accurate classification vital to directing therapy. To this end, advances in the last decade led to better characterization of pancreatic cyst morphology and hence enhanced the ability to predict underlying histopathology, and biological behavior. Although accurate classification remains a challenge, the utilization of complementary diagnostic tools is the optimal approach to dictate management. The following review includes a description of pancreatic cysts, a critical review of current and emerging diagnostic techniques and a review of recent guidelines in the management of incidental pancreatic cysts.

Endoscopic ultrasound guided fine needle tissue acquisition: where we stand in 2013?

Since its introduction, endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) guided fine needle aspiration and fine needle biopsy have become an indispensable tool for the diagnosis of lesions within the gastrointestinal tract and surrounding organs. It has proved to be an effective diagnostic method with high accuracy and low complication rates. Several factors can influence the accuracy and the diagnostic yield of this procedure including experience of the endosonographer, availability of onsite cytopathology services, the method of cytopathology preparation, the location and physical characteristics of the lesion, sampling techniques and the type and size of the needle used. In this review we will outline the recent studies evaluating EUS-guided tissue acquisition and will provide practical recommendations to maximize tissue yield.

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration needles: which one and in what situation?

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) is increasingly used as a diagnostic and therapeutic tool for pancreatic and other gastrointestinal disorders. Several factors affect the outcome of EUS-FNA, one of which is needle size. The decision to use a specific needle depends on factors including location, consistency, and type of the lesion; presence of onsite cytopathologist; and need for additional tissue procurement for histology. This review provides a balanced perspective on the use of different needle sizes available, highlighting the differences among them and potential niche applications of each to maximize diagnostic yield of EUS-FNA.

Primary prevention of variceal bleeding: pharmacological therapy versus endoscopic banding.

Variceal bleeding is one of the most feared complications in patients with liver cirrhosis. It continues to be a leading cause of death among patients with liver cirrhosis. Although its prognosis has improved over the last several decades, it still carries substantial mortality. Preventing variceal bleeding has been extensively studied and evaluated in several studies in the recent years and the comparison between the different modalities available to prevent variceal bleeding has been an area of discussion. Currently the two most widely used modalities to prevent variceal bleeding are pharmacologic (non-selective beta-blockers [NSBB]) and endoscopic (variceal band ligation [VBL]) which have replaced sclerotherapy in the recent years. In addition to NSBB and recent carvedilol, different other medications have been evaluated including isosorbide mononitrates, spironolactone and angiotensin blocking agents. Comparing the outcomes and adverse effects of these two modalities has been evaluated in different studies. Some studies have showed superiority of VBL until recently, when carvedilol has been included, however; overall mortality has been similar in most trials. Despite that, NSBB remain the first line treatment, as they are cheaper and relatively effective in preventing both esophageal and gastric bleeding. The following sections discuss the primary prevention of variceal bleeding with a focus on NSBB, carvedilol and VBL.

Fecal transplantation for the treatment of recurrent clostridium difficile infection.

Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is currently a leading cause of antibiotic and health care-related diarrhea. The incidence and the severity of CDI-related diarrhea have increased dramatically in the USA and Europe in the past few decades. The emergence of multidrug-resistant hypervirulent strains of C. difficile has led to an increase in mortality. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) (also known as fecal bacteriotherapy) has been utilized sporadically since the 1950s; and currently, the interest in using FMT has grown again in the past few years for the treatment of CDI and other chronic gastrointestinal diseases. FMT has shown to be effective, cheap, and has very few side effects. It is believed to manipulate and restore the gut microbiota, and therefore enhances the growth of "healthy" bacteria that break the cycle of recurrent CDI. This article focus on the recent case reports on FMT, and general approach to patients undergoing this therapy. Data were obtained through a literature search via PubMed and Google.